


Lead me not into Temptation (I can find it myself)

by ChaoticBabe



Category: From Dusk Till Dawn: The Series
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Drabble Collection, F/M, Fix It, Kate Fuller/Seth Gecko's Mexican Honeymoon, Not Beta Read, PTSD, Season 2
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-16
Updated: 2019-12-08
Packaged: 2020-01-15 05:05:38
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 16
Words: 12,965
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18491947
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChaoticBabe/pseuds/ChaoticBabe
Summary: Seth and Kate will always circle each other, no matter what paths they choose to take.Drabble series





	1. Just a taste, that’s all it takes

He’s smirking with his head half cocked to the side, waiting patiently for Kate to make a move. 

She was always going to have to make the first move, unless she wanted this spiral into another fight, and about Rafa of all things.

“Is that it? You just don’t trust him to get the job done right?”

Seth had slowly taking steps toward her as surely as she had taken them back till she gently hit the wall and came to a stop, with Seth just barely pressing up against her chest.  
She’s not sure if she wants closer, or all the on the other side of the hotel room.

Leaning down close to her face, with only a trace of his earlier smirk he says, “What other problem would I have with him, princess?”.

Slowly without true consciousness of the act, Kate’s hands come up to grip at his wife beater, bringing him just that much closer.

“Don’t know Seth, just thought with the way you couldn’t stop glaring at him you might not like him because of something personal. Not just worrying about the score.” Shrugging her shoulders, in last act of giving them both an out.

He doesn’t take it.

“Personal like what princess?”

Kate’s pretty sure with all the stealing she’s been doing lately she wasn’t going to get into her daddy’s heaven, after all only good girls go there. Yet it’s not till in just this moment that she’s absolutely sure of that fact. Good girls don’t want to kiss bad men like Seth Gecko. They sure as hell don’t initiate said act.

Her lips are whispers breath away from his own now, and with the intensity of the way he’s looking back and forth between her eyes, searching for answer to a different question that he can’t voice out loud - god forbid he be truly emotionally vulnerable - she’s half forgotten the question he did ask.

“Personal. Like. What. Princess.” He’s lost his patience with the game. Seth never really did seem to like being denied something even for a short time.

Leaning in to the last bit of distance he kisses her, full and deep. Nothing at all like the gentle one she shared with his brother all those months ago.

Kate returns it as best she can and is rewarded with groan that she can feel shake through his chest.  
With that Seth seems to let go of whatever last bit of resistance he had towards them and completely gives in to her, and Kate, well Kate figures hell might be worth it if he promises to keep touching her like this.

You see Seth is not a good man.

No, Seth Gecko is definitely not a good man, but even good men give into temptation so maybe he gets points for at least trying.


	2. Lost it All

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kate’s alone now.  
> All in less than twenty four hours she lost it all.

Kate was alone now.

It was really the only thing she could focus on clearly at the moment. She completely alone now.

She knows that smart thing to do now would be figuring out what her next move was going to be, or at least physically moving, instead of holding herself up against the RV staring off in a daze.

What she should do is go inside the the RV and drive the damn thing straight out of Mexico, after all she now had the keys.

Keys that she’d tried to get from Richie, just a few hours ago. A lifetime ago. Back then she had a family. A family that consisted of a father who was quickly spiraling out of control, and an angry teenage little brother who clearly has some unchecked violent tendencies (he had a fucking gun in his backpack, she hasn’t forgotten that, it just wasn’t a priority once they hit the boarder crossing). A messed up family then, sure, but still a family. Hers.

And now Kate was alone.

Now Kate has no one.

That all in all, right there was the very crux of the problem. Her world hadn’t just been turned over like a flipped ship, no it had exploded in on itself, and there was no one to turn to for help, comfort, anything really.  
With a dead father, and a brother who she admits she somewhat regrettably burned bridges with, due to his recent status reading UNDEAD (at the time this seemed like a deal breaker, what with him turning their father an all), well she was pretty tired.

Now out here with the quickly rising sun, Kate wasn’t so sure she had made the right call.  
In all fairness it had been a really trying day, that only seemed to get worse as time went on.  
At the time it had seemed never ending. 

Now a part of her was almost longing for the screaming and adrenaline once more. Then at least she could stop thinking for a moment. To stop seeing the Culebras eating all the bar patrons over and over in her head. To stop thing about how she had literally cut two people in half with a chainsaw. She didn’t want to think about anything really. Least of all her lost family.

Cause now she could feel the blood drying on her cloths, which was only a reminder of how less safe the world was now than it was yesterday morning, before she ever crossed paths with the gecko brothers.

How was she supposed to go forward know what she knows now. After what she had seen and done. 

Kate was sure she couldn’t just drive on back to Bethel, as if none of this had ever happened.  
Sure she could make up a lie about what happened to her family. People would believe it too. She would know the truth though. She would know what was out there.

Because it had happened.  
Nothing could undo that.  
Nothing could fix this.  
She couldn’t do this alone.

Just as she was contemplating the dubious idea of going back inside the titty twister in hopes of finding her brother, one of the doors opened.

And it was Seth.

He was alive. Somehow.

And he was alone. No Richie in sight.

Kate watched has he made his way over to a nice black car, she made her way slowly over till he noticed her too.

Up close he looked just as worn as her.

He looked just as lost.

That’s what decided it for her, not that her options were great.

“Want some company?”

He looked slightly confused and maybe a little bit hopeful. Maybe she was just projecting. Maybe he was fine all alone in this brave new world, with no need for comp-

“Yeah”

Oh, well then. Kate could stop the little smile that creeped onto her face as she got in the car.

At least they were alone together now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This actually focused a little more on Scott than was intended, but hey why not.


	3. Not knowing is a Curse all it’s Own

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Seth wonders when she’s finally going to leave.

Shooting up isn’t going to solve anything.

Seth knows this, he’s not stupid. He might not be the smart brother, but he is the one with some common sense, after all Richie ran off with mind controlling, blood drinking, succubus.

The drugs are a problem yes, he knows this, but they also help him deal with well everything. Sure doping up wont fix what’s happened, won’t undo anything.

The drugs are a problem, they just aren’t the only problem.

Seth had plenty of those long before he went south of the boarder.

The stint in prison was just the latest to be written down to prove that fact.

Yet it’s not till now that he really just lets go. It was his intention to, when his head is clear rare as that is now, Seth can admit to himself, he’s escaping. Loosing Richie was too much.

Richie picked that snake bitch over Seth. Yeah that had hurt.

Hurt Like a wound that never stops bleeding. _No cure for that pain._

Richie had always needed Seth. Always.

Since the first time their father raised a fist to him, a fist Seth took to the face to spare his little brother.

That’s just how it worked. Richie need him and Seth took care of him.

But maybe Seth had needed him a little bit too. Realizing this after he was gone helps nothing, and just makes him feel like shit.

The drugs though, they help with that, dull the ache. The problems are still there, but he can live with it this way.

Kate would say this isn’t really living.

She’d be right.

Unfortunately little miss Kate is a whole other set of problems all her own. Yeah she’s definitely a full set of issues to deal with, the least of all is her sudden urging to be more involved in the scores.

Initially when he’d seen her after escaping the twister, stained as she was with gore, she’d been alive, somehow still alive, he couldn’t bring himself to leave her there. It would have been better for her if he had.

Would have ended up asking her if she wanted a ride if she hadn’t beat him to the punch. _Seth didn’t like to be alone no matter what he said_.

A good man would have told her to go home.

A good man would never have taken her and her family hostage in the first place.

Seth wasn’t good, he was desperate.

_“You want some company?”_

Saying yes was an easy choice. The real problems came after that. He doesn’t know what she expected getting in the car, never had the guts to ask, no doubt it wasn’t this.

Well princess he didn’t plan it this way either.

Cause while Seth’s a Bastard, Kate’s a saint.

Sure she was bratty like most girls her age, could be a down right bitch when he pushed her too hard, or just when the shower suddenly went cold halfway through.

No Kate was far from perfect, but she put up with him so sainthood was on her horizon. At least she was too good for this life.

This as the fact that lead him to wondering when he looked over at her in the passenger seat for their latest stolen car. When was she finally going to get smart and leave him?

She would eventually. People leave. That’s what they do in Seth’s experience. He couldn’t even keep his own brother.

And that there was the biggest problem with Kate.

Seth cared. Seth cared about Kate. Not just about if she was in danger - he’d been doing that all the way back in the twister- no he cared about if one day he’d wake from a high to find her gone. She would leave eventually.

Seth would fucking miss her when she did. He’d miss the times he could pull a laugh from her, make her blush, even the fights. Yeah even the fights.

It would almost be easier if she was gone. Last reason to not completely throw his life away. No more complicated feelings. Cause it was more than just lust or a general sense of protectiveness towards someone that got dragged into something they didn’t sign up for.

Kate’s a kid. Just a kid. Say it enough and maybe you’ll believe it.

Maybe he’d even stop side eyeing her thighs as they drive along another dirt road. He wanted more with her. Sometimes he just wanted to hold her, just hold her, comfort her, all those complicated soft things.

It would be easier if she was gone. Less guilt at least.

Still it was a dreaded day.

She’d be gone soon enough. The clock was counting down.

Still he tried to steal moments for when she left - no matter that it’ll just hurt more for the loss of them - he was a thief taking things that didn’t belong to him was second nature.

Eyes on the road, one hand on wheel, the other twitching for a fix on his lap.“Maybe this time we can stay at motel with a pool for you.”

Out of the corner of his eye he can see her head turn to him, eyes cautious, hesitant.

“Yeah?”

“Yeah, princess. We’ll find one with a pool.”

Kate’s smile lights up the cab of the car enough to get him smirking, for a few moments his hand even settles.

She’ll leave him eventually, and Seth’s not sure that won’t just kill him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I find it much harder to write from Seth’s perspective, but felt like giving it a go.


	4. Leave (before you get left)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kate goes back to the hotel. She plans on doing a lot of yelling. They’re both very good at that when their together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AU season 2 fix it

She should turn this car around, and head straight for the boarder, leaving all problems that start with a gecko in the rear view mirror.

It would be the best thing for her. Lately though, Kates not so great at doing what’s good for herself. Blame Seth, it’s his fault somehow, she’s sure of that.

Seth, he left her. Left her by the side of the road.

Sure he also gave her the whole score, it felt like blood money after what happened to Rafa, but still he left her.

He Left.

Pulling into the parking lot of the last hotel they shared she tries to focus on the righteous anger that, that thought inspires, not on how it had killed her a little on the inside. He’d called her Partner, then left.

Kate hopes that he’s not here and this has all been just a waisted trip. In part, because a man had just hunted them down looking for his brother, a man that can probably find Seth again, so leaving town (not staying in the same damn hotel room from earlier) is the clear move for him to make. Unfortunately Seth hasn’t been thinking clearly as of late. His brand of poison will kill him one way or another.

On the other hand, she just hope he’s gone because this was very much an act of anger that has cooled down to fear, she had planned on yelling, telling just how stupid he was. She had secretly hoped he would ask her to stay.

Walking to the hotel door now, she’s just afraid. Afraid he’ll be there. That he won’t be. That he’ll reject her all over again.

With resolve that helped push her through surviving the twister, her hands are shaking, she easily jimmies open the cheap lock on the door.

At least her lessons with Seth haven’t been a waste.

And there he is. Passed out on the bed. She can see the needle from here.

A lot of emotions are arising to the surface from this scene.

Somehow a single world slips out of her mouth as the door gently shuts behind her.

”Seth”

It’s enough to stir him some, it’s been hours since he kicked her from the car, decided he to come here may have been a whim but it was one that took time to settle in her head, he could have had his last fix sometime ago.

With eyes only partially opened, he turns his head to the right, catching sight of her. There’s clear confusion in his gaze, she’s not so sure it’s just from the drugs.

”Kate” His voice is a croak of a thing, it makes her want to wrap him up in her arms and take care of him. Makes her want to beat his chest, this is something he did to himself.

”Princess, is it really you?” 

The way he looks, and speaks to her now is almost with a fearful reverence. Makes her breath catch in her chest. Maybe he's just been having visions, wouldn’t be the first time, it doesn’t mean he’s genuinely glad to see her, just glad it’s her and not someone else.

All the same she slowly walks to the bed, sitting beside him, looking down into his face.

”Yeah Seth, it’s me.”

He brings a shaking hand up to caress the side of her face, check if she’s real.

”What are you doing here? You shouldn’t be here.” The words are side almost lovingly in wonder, they feel like a sudden punch to the gut.

Even high he wants her gone.

With a tense back she’s about to jump from the bed, fly out the door, leave him here to his drugs.

His next words stop her. “It’s not safe to be with me, gonna get you killed Princess.”

Huh. Seth Gecko’s all heart underneath the gruff.

”I’m not leaving you. I won’t walk away that easily, we’re partners after all.” And she won’t. Till this moment she would have, but he needs her, and she wants him. She’s not leaving. On the other hand they are both leaving this place.

A dopey smile takes over his face at her words, yeah she’s staying.

”We need to get out of this place though Seth. There’s no telling that crazy guy knows about this place, it’s time to move.” He manages to sit himself up some, she pulls him the rest of the way. He goes to press his forehead firmly against hers, dragging a hand to the back of her head, tangling fingers in her hair. “We leave, but you’ll stay?”

Its said so serious and surprisingly clearly that at first it’s hard to recognize it as a question.

”You’re the one who _left_ me.” God she hates how weak her voice sounds, on the verge of crying, desperate.

Seth catches her eyes, bring his other hand up to clasp at her neck, her hand reaching to hold onto his wrist. “Stupidest thing I’ve ever done.  Just wanted to protect you, that scared the shit out of me, you almost died. I’m sorry I don’t actually want you to go.” Seth’s no good when it come to voicing emotions other than anger usually, covers everything else up with humor, so that he manages to get this out feels like a minor miracle.

Its almost enough.

”You’ll get clean.”

This is not a question. It’s her demand. They can’t keep repeating this cycle.

She won't watch him kill himself any more. No more holding the needles steady for him. No more needles period.

”Deal.”

Then he’s kissing her. Gently at first, but it grows more firm when she doesn’t immediately pull away. 

Leaning into him more, slightly in disbelief that this happening, her hand moves from his wrist to fist in his wife beater. His moves to waist, Pulling her in against him.

Its an odd angle, making it hard to kiss just as deeply as she’d like, she wants to press up against him, wants him to devour her whole. She slings her right leg over both of his, straddling him without conscious thought. It pulls a groan from Seth.

The hand that he’d had in her hair has made a trail of fire down her back to join his other in firmly gripping her waist. Till this moment she’d been almost hovering over his lap, putting weight on her knees to keep herself up, but Seth uses his hold on her waist to bring her grinding down against.

The friction of the act leaves them both gasping and groaning in turns. Their kisses turning frantic, one of his hands slipping under her shirt caressing her back. Kate has no idea what she’s doing, but instinctively she rocks her hips against him. Oh she wants to do that again.

Seth grins into the kiss, slowly puking away, an embarrassing whimper escapes her at the loss of contact. 

Naturally he starts to smirk.

”Princess, if you keep that up we’re not going to leave this room for a long while.”

What ever part of her that wasn’t already flushed has lit up at his words.

”Besides, I said I’d get clean.” The underlying statement of this being he wants to make sure to remember it all clearly. Kate could wait for that.

Nodding her head back at him she says the only thing that can come to mind, “Ready Partner?”.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wasn’t really sure how to end this, not overly satisfied


	5. Tell Me the Ugly Truth, and I’ll Forgive You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kate doesn’t know why her words matter more to him than most, she just knows they do

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Set during Mexican honeymoon

Kate’s realized she’s become his confessor sometime after their first month together.

When he first developed his taste for heroine.

Of course it’s been happening long before then, she’s just only now noticing.

It had started all the way back in that twice damn bar, she’d been a little too distracted to notice then. Scared as she was for her family’s lives, these men had pointed guns at their heads. And she doesn’t doubt for a minute that they would have pulled the trigger.

“Do you forgive me?” His eyes are shining too brightly from the alcohol, yet there’s an earnestness there. Eyes on her.

Compelling enough that tequila soaked words slip from her mouth, “I forgive you.” 

He’s killed people, out right admits to it plainly; taking her family hostage seems a small thing in comparison. 

All the same, she meant what she said.

After all, God forgives everyone.

Who is she to deny him this.

Seth doesn’t care for gods forgiveness she learns. Seth just wants hers.

They Steal to survive in Mexico, to scrape by, the drugs aren’t cheap and still they need money to eat.

Becomes an easy enough thing to stomach, she even enjoys the thrill sometimes, as long as she doesn’t remember her daddy, he’d be so ashamed.

Sometimes she almost hates him for bringing her to this, never manages to though.

Forgiving him the drugs though, it’s one of the hardest things she’s ever had to do, he just. keeps. doing. them.

Its exhausting to watch. 

Heartbreaking, sometimes.

She shouldn’t care so much, but she’s come to terms with the fact that she does.

Shooting up most nights, like he’s just having an evening cigarette. Stupid broken man. 

When he’s high he speaks honestly.

”Please don’t go. Please.” Hands grasping onto her arms, he looks up at her as if she’s something holy. The only one with power to forgive him, his sins.

Desperation leaks in, “Forgive me, Princess?” Mouth slightly parted, waiting with baited breath for what she’ll say next,

”I forgive you Seth.”

Hands ease, then slip completely from her arms. Peaceful oblivion now, it’s her gift.

Sad to think only when his minds have gone, is the only time he can find the words.

”Kate”

”I’m here.”

She always is.

The cycle repeats.

She knows she shouldn’t stay. Leave him to his poison. It’s taking its toll on her too now.

”Ready to go princess?” 

Slipping into the car, bag already thrown in the back, turning to face him, finding eyes searching her face, checking in to make sure everything is okay.

Nothing’s okay. Never will be again. 

Nodding anyways, “let’s go.”

Something in her tone gives her away she thinks, just an edge too tired. 

Seth tilts his head towards her before starting up the car, they’re already on the road, some Spanish song playing low on the radio when he speaks, “Wanna go to the beach? Figure it’s just a good place as any for a few days.”

He’s still facing the road, left hand on the wheel, when she reaches out, intertwining his right hand with hers.

”Yeah, the beach should work fine. We will have to be careful though, might accidentally have some fun.” 

He looks at her now grinning, squeezing her hand, false gruffness coating his voice,“We wouldn’t want that now would we.”

“No, never” She can’t hold back her smile.

Seths a bad man, and he’s put her through Hell time and time again. 

She always forgives him for it anyway.


	6. He Couldn’t Help Himself

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What he did next was a bad move, he had to though, she was still in there. She was still his Kate.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Season 3; inside seth's head, there were some intense emotions when Kate first reappeared to him

Screw it all.

Seth was done.

You’d think there would be a point where all the crazy ends, no more painful losses, for useless kingdoms ( _It was all built on Kate's grave, it left a perpetual taste of ash in his mouth. It’s the very least he deserved_ ). A point where there was no more homicidal supposedly mythical creatures coming out to play, ruining everyone’s ~~already dysfunctional~~ lives.

Rule one when being a thief, if the score wasn't worth more than the cost that had to be paid, don’t do the job. And these days they were well in the red.

Time to get out brother.

The whole Culebra race could have gone up in flames as far as Seth cared. Hell he would have lite the matches and handed them out like candy.

But there was Richie to think about, so he put up with it all. And there really was a lot to put up with.

It might not be so bad if he actually cared for any of it - if he didn’t feel so fucking numb, he’s just waiting to die on a beach already.

(No more dying in the arms of a beautiful woman. She’s already gone)

Seth had no use for the fancy titles ( _what pompous asses_ ), he was fine being just a thief. He was damn good at it.

Playing at being collectors for said asshole lords was as demeaning as it sounded, and Seth really does think this may have been the worse job he's ever had.

No, that disrespect isn't enough,  _and it is disrespect Richie,_ no now they have all new fun monsters to tussle with. Apparently that's also apart of the job. He wants to fucking see the fine print, because he didn’t sign up for this.

And now, well now Kate's back. Richie says so anyways. 

Seth knows better.

Kate's dead, no thanks to both him and his brother.

No Kate's gone, that's what all the experts say, so really there is just some crazy Bitch walking around in kates body. (Kate's Fucking BODY.)

So yes, Seth is done with everything ( _it's not fair, it's not fair, it's not fucking fair)_ , he knows what he has to do and he'll do it.

Excuse him though if he's screaming on the inside, because he has to go put a bullet in the head of ~~a girl he loved~~ a girl he knew.

Screw everything. 

Kate deserved better, at least now he can properly bury her, although given the circumstances he might need to burn the body, still it's something. 

Seth didn't sign up for this.

But he can always be counted on to do what needs to be done.

Till now it seems.

Cause he's standing in front of Amaru, and he's no longer so sure.

Richie keeps saying how he thinks she's still in there, Seth shut that hope down hard and fast, pure survival instincts right there, he couldn't take loosing her a second time around. But now he's not so sure.

She's looking at him, desperate, in pain, and fuck he's still pointing a gun at her head.

She's in there, she's trapped in there.

For a moment Seth's mind can do little more than repeat these facts on a loop back to him over and over. Kate's alive.

He’s lost too much to hope, that could cost him everything he had left. But Kates worth that and more.

He ignores the warnings.

She’s telling him to kill her. How could he ever kill her. Doesn’t she know, she’s his partner.

Even Scott knows Seth should back away.

 

“Seth Don’t do it. Don’t touch her.”

Naturally he doesn’t listen.

Seth misses Kate, and this makes him stupid.

He reaches out, just to what? Reassure himself? Comfort her?

He doesn’t really know why, except he does, people do stupid shit when their in love.

The wrong woman grabs him back.

Turns out he has a soul after all. He wonders what Kate thinks about that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not sure how I feel about the ending


	7. I’d Pay Anything to Keep My Conscious Clean

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He looked at her a realized he didn’t think of her as a kid anymore

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Realizations sometimes feel like kicking punched in the face. They hurt like a bitch.  
> AU No drugs during this time around

Seth thinks he should have seen this coming.

In fact he knows he should of seen it coming, self denial is a spectacular thing.

Kate Fuller, no matter what he might say out loud, is not a kid. At least not to Seth, hasn’t been for a good long while.

You can’t really go through what she has and stay one. No kid could pick up a chainsaw and slice two people and half. No Kate hasn’t been a kid in a long time.

The real question is when did Seth stop referring to her as one in his head, he makes sure to throw in a _kiddo_  out loud every now and then.

(If he says it enough then it’s true right?)

It’s just easier if that’s true.

Unfortunately life has never been easy.

He has to accept that he’s living with a teenager, who his feelings for are less than platonic. It's making things problematic.

He's been trying to protect her, which is hard to do when he needs to add himself to the danger to Kate list. Now he has to protect her from himself.

Especially from himself. If it was just the simple want of a warm body to sleep with he could find someone else to sate that need. No it was the fact, there was a part of him that wanted Kate all to himself but knew he could never have her like that. He'd ruin her, or one day she would grow tired of his shit and then she'd leave.

Kate’s too good for him, okay. He knows this, and the fact that she’s so young is just another reason on the list that he should stay away.

Living together makes that impossible though, they share a room if not a bed, so he decides that not touching her is just going to have to do.

This is of course a problem.

Seths always been a physical person by nature, a touch here, a guiding hand there, so on. Now he’s realizing just how much he touches Kate.

He can’t just stop touching her though now that his eyes are open, it would be strange.

Kate would notice and then far to sweetly ask what’s wrong. Best to not be honest on this matter, avoid questioning all together would be even better.

No he can’t stop touching her.

It’s not like it’s any more than with how he treats others really.

So it’s fine. Seth is a grown man and he can handle this pesky realization, he can handle one teenage girl.

(he’s not sure he can handle the feelings though, she makes him so damn soft)

And it is fine, for a while.

They go on as usual, if he’s a little more self aware of her than before he hides it well, Plenty of practice at pretending not to care. 

Things go smoothly on this front till the night the motel they are staying at only has one room left and it’s a single.

Seth's throat goes dry and is threatening to close up, Kate isn’t so impeded, “We’ll take it.”. 

They've had to share a bed before, right at the very beginning. Exhaustion had seeped into every cell, and they all but collapsed the moment they hit the bed. 

No reason to care then.

He sure as shit cares now.

Kate just goes about her normal nightly routine, taking little notice of the way he has suddenly the no touching rule should be put into play now. Gathering his wits about him, he manages to move along. Wash up, change cloths, turn on the TV and ignore everything. Easy enough.

Then the lights go out.

The TV is turned off. 

And he's left far to aware of the warmth of the girl sleeping two inches away.

No problems going to sleep for her, he'd almost feel vaguely insulted if he wasn't so relieved. She's got her back to him laying on her side and has been dead to the world for a sometime now, and Seth's just trying to shut off his mind. It's a funny thing how the more a person tries to stop thinking about, the more they actually do.

He's contemplating just going out to find a bar, might as well get drunk since he can't sleep, when she jerks. Whole body shakes with it, and then there's some whimpering.

Nightmare. Of course, he has them to, impossible not to. It's only unexpected in that he's unused to being awake when she gets them. Quiet mumbles of no, no, no fill the room, and Seth moves on instinct, he's always trying to protect her. Doesn't even need to think about it.

Reaching out he gently pulls her body into his chest, rubbing a hand up and own her arm.

"Shhh, he princess wake up. It's just a nightmare." There's a gentle gasp, coming back to reality is startling. Her hand grasps onto his forearm, nails almost clawing into his skin.

"Seth." 

"Right, here. It was just a nightmare."

Labored breathing comes to a rest in the silence, before she turns over in his arms. 

Burying her head into his chest, he tightens his embrace, as if that will somehow shield her from the dreams.

"Seth, can we...can we just stay like this?" she sounds so lost, he would promise the world in this moment. This is only slightly less difficult to give her.

"Sure princess, we can stay just like this."

"All night?"

"All night."

And they do. Slowly sleep takes Kate again, leaving him once more to too many thoughts with her wrapped up in his arms.

Maybe this whole time he'd had it wrong.

Maybe he should be more worried about protecting himself from Kate than the other way around.

Watching the gentle rise and fall of her chest, he figures it's already too late.


	8. Katie's Got a Gun

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Look out she's locked and loaded

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> FLUFF, short and sweet

"You need to learn how to shoot.", Is how he greets her on their third morning together.

She hasn't even had coffee yet. 

"What?"

He looks up and over at her from the bag he was searching through and clarifies,"You need to learn how to shoot a gun. You may never need to, but after everything I'll sleep a lot better knowing that you can."

She agrees with him of course, she'd sleep a lot better too if she learned how to use a gun, it's not something he dad would have ever allowed. Just because she agrees with him means she's going to let him that easy, he woke her by throwing a pillow at her when she rolled over refusing to fully wake to 'princess time to move that ass'. 

"Do I now?"

"Yes, between the people that might come after me, and those snakes you need to be able to shoot." He actually sounds sincerely concerned about her well being, causing a small wave of guilt to run through, it quickly leaves because it seems a little late for him to start caring now. She honestly isn't even sure they'll stand a chance in hell together in general, let alone if Culebra attack them.

"Fine, but coffee first."

He scuffs before looking at her with a slightly dopey grin that makes her want to blush, "Fine, as her majesty demands." 

* * *

 

Sometime later, after they have both manged to dress and Kate gets her coffee.

"Aren't you too young to be drinking that?"

"Shut up, Seth." 

They drive a couple miles out of their nondescript town, really it looks like the one from yesterday, before Seth goes off into the dirt a ways and parks.

Both of them get out with Seth instructing Kate to get the guns while he sets up targets, the beer glasses from last night on top of a run down fence.

Walking back to her, he pulls of his aviators setting them on the hood before instructing her on basic gun safety. They'd already done this in the car, but Seth is turning out to be a bit of a mother hen in some areas.

"Are you listening Kate?"

"Yes, always check the chamber to see if it's still loaded. You said this earlier."  

She doesn't mind it as much as she pretends. It's comforting in a way.

All the same when they actually start practicing she really does focus. 

She's no natural shot, she kind of wants to ask for the chainsaw back because aiming is harder than the TV shows make it out to be. "That's okay princess, you're doing fine."

He comes up behind her to straighten her arms out properly, "Just like this." the heat of his chest on her back shouldn't feel as good as it does with the Mexican sun beating down on them.

"Now Shoot."

She pulls the trigger.

The glass shatters. And she suddenly understand why so many people do this for fun. She wonders what else she's been missing out on.

Seth hugs her from behind congratulating her, even though it's more his doing then hers.

She shoots some more rounds on her own till she manged to break the remaining four bottles.

Once she done Seth sets up a few more for himself.

She walks back towards the car grabbing a water from the passenger seat.

He calls out to her while he's lining up for a shot, further away than hers were,"Bet that Preacher Daddy of yours had his hands full with you princess, with shooting like that, I'll have you robbing banks in no time."  she can see the grin on his face from the side as she hums nondescript at first.

"I've always been a problem child." she agreed, leaning back against the hood of the stolen car.

Seth actually laughed out loud at that, looking back at her. "Yeah you're a real rebel sweetheart. Mexico look out here Katie has a Gun!"

Throwing Seth's shades over her eyes, she grins back at him."Never Know what hit them." 

Maybe they have a shot in Hell after all. 

* * *

**Please Comment**


	9. Waiting for Judgement

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kate Does not appreciate unsolicited advise

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Anon asked for an AU  
> AU: all human; Bringing Home the Boyfriend

Kate was finally bringing her boyfriend home to meet her dad.

She couldn't see this ending well.

They had been dating for over six months now, so while it was defiantly time to meet the family she kept putting it off.

All the excuses were used up though, and so it was time to bite the bullet.

Seth himself only lived in the town over with his younger brother, so his face was recognizable with how small both places were. The people of Bethel, including her father, all knew who the Gecko boys were.

That might not have been a bad thing, if it didn't also mean everyone knew the Gecko boys reputations. Rumors of assaults, thievery, and general misbehavior were commonly connected to the brothers since their early teens. 

No good, seemed to be the general consensuses about the two. That was years ago though and the brothers had since opened up their own bar, and if maybe they came by the money to do so originally in less than legal ways, well Kate could live with it. They had both changed a lot from their youth, but people in small towns had long memories.

Which is why Kate had been hesitant to bring him home to meet her father.

She was even less inclined to bring him to her fathers church when asked. Her father thought it would be a good way for them to get to know one another, and they could all go home to have lunch together after. Kate just thought her dad wanted to try to put the fear of God into Seth, with talk of hellfire and brimstone.

It wouldn't work, but she wasn't about to tell him that.

Still despite her reservations, and she had many, Kate brought Seth to church with her that day. Mainly because he seemed to be slightly upset that she hadn't want to bring him home, as if she was ashamed of him. Kate Fuller was not ashamed to be dating Seth Gecko for any reason, she simply didn't want him to have to deal with all the snide comments of _well meaning_ neighbors, that they would no doubt give. But if this was what he needed, to see that she was proud to be with him, off to church they'd go.

At first it was actually very pleasant. They met up with Scott outside of the church, the two having previously met before and headed inside together.

Not much could go wrong during the service. Seth sat straighter than she had ever seen him, and simply held her hand through out. Earlier threats of being on his best behavior in gods house probably still ringing in his ears. "Relax princess, I'm not going to try to feel you up in the pews." 

She figured if he knew what she was thinking without her having to say it, there was reason to worry.

As the service went on Kate was starting to think that maybe everything was going to be fine. She had judged her fellow church goers a little to harshly it seemed, everyone was minding their own business.

Then of course the service ended, and Kate quickly realized she should never doubted her gut instinct.

After the service everyone had a tendency to linger, catching up with their neighbors, and naturally pastor Fuller stays back as well, which means so do they. 

Feeling the parched Kate leaves Seth to talk to Scott while she goes to get them both water, waving away his offer to do it for her.

Upon crossing the room, she became aware of several pairs of eyes watching her, while simultaneously talking to people next to them. Remembering her earlier uncharitable thoughts Kate was determined to ignore it. It was probably all in her head.

After getting the two drinks, she turned around to find her boyfriend almost knocking into someone.

Apologizing profusely she looks to see it's widow Anderson, dressed in too much pink. She's lived in Bethel as long as Kate can remember, one of those old ladies that seems to be perpetually old yet never age. 

Kate's never talked to her much, but the few times she had it wasn't hard to figure out she was adept at insulting a person with a smile on her face. 

"It's quite alright dear." Not wanting to linger and start up a conversation with the old woman Kate forces a smiles and makes to leave.

"I see you've brought home a friend to visit us today." Too late.

Half turning back, she was still too close to pretend she didn't hear and walk away, she smiles again. "Yes, that's my boyfriend Seth."

She hmmed in the back of her throat while her lips narrowed in. Kate's own pleasant facade was quickly slipping away. 

"Well dearie," Mrs. Anderson said, "let me give you a little advise." Years of being a goods preachers daughter took over forcing a polite smile back onto her face, as she looked at the clearly disapproving busy body. "Yes?" she asked.

"Get out while you can with that gecko boy, he's nothing but trouble, and I'd hate to see something happen to you."

Kate could feel her mask cracking, "While it's kind of you to be concerned, but you don't know what you're-" she began before being cut off, "Your too young to know better of course, no doubt that handsome face of his has you head over heels, but he's no good for you. I hear that young mister Kyle is recently single himself, now you two would be just perfect." Nodding her head in agreement at her own words, she took no notice of Kate anymore.

Why that condescending bitch. Who did she think she was. Feeling heat crawl up her face, Kate tensed ready to start yelling, causing a scene be damned, when a strong arm wrapped around her waist.

"Yeah, I don't know about _young mister_ Kyle, but if you really think he'd go for me I'll go over and ask him out right this minute." looking quizzically down at her Seth asked, "What do you think babe? Would Kyle and I look good together?" The serious of his tone was undermined by shit eating grin coming over his face.

Holding back laughter as Mrs. Anderson turned a fun shade of purple clashing with her dress, Kate pretended to think on it. "I don't know Seth, I hear he's gone vegan. That would mean no more big Kahuna burgers."

Out right laughing Seth turns to Mrs. Anderson while squeezing Kate's waist pulling her closer, "Well that does it. A real deal breaker that, but we appreciate your input all the same."

Turning them around, they start to make their way towards Scott on the other side of the room. Seth leans over to press a kiss to her hair, soothingly whispering,"See no big deal, princess." 

She lets out a sigh, leaning in to him some. "Still pisses me off, she had no right." 

"No she didn't, but I also don't give a shit about what she thinks. All that matters is what you think."

She looks at him from the corner of her eye before replying, "I think you could do way better than Kyle, he's a bit too pious for you." It startles a laugh out of him, causing Kate to smile at him before leaning up to steal a chaste kiss.

They were both grinning like idiots by the time they reached Scott. 

* * *

 

Please comment 

 


	10. 2 am When I Can't Sleep

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> two am is when the demons come for you and me

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Set pre Season 2 sometime

It's late, but he still can't sleep. Not that sleep itself provides much rest these past few days. (Has it really only been days? )

Nightmares are no new thing to Seth, they have been a constant since he was a child, but these ones are just brutal. 

Nothing but blood, snakes that once looked like humans, and ladies that are missing their damn eyes. It plays on a loop, a CD stuck on repeat, the same song playing again and again no matter how many times you press skip. There are just somethings that can't be unseen, and the dreams are just reminders of that fact.

Letting out a yawn Seth once again feels just how tired he is, it's a feeling that's seeping into his bones, carving it's self into him, whispering that it's never going to leave. One day he may not even notice it anymore if he's lucky. Seth knows he not that lucky.

It's a disturbing thought really, this idea that nothing will get better from here, but instead of feeling any sort of horror he just feels numb. He's been waiting these past few days for some kind of break down to hit, it never comes. He's just so fucking tired.

Turning on his side, as if moving positions will somehow allow sleep to come, he faces the other bed that the little preachers daughter sleeps in.

For a while he just stares at her back, it's comforting to see the way her chest rises and falls. The viable proof she's alive.

In.out.In.Out.

She's yet to have any sort of break down now that he thinks about it, for the most part she's just been quiet. He has no doubt she's hurting too, he's still unsure of what exactly all happened to her in that maze (when he left her father was still alive), but no doubt it's left plenty of scars. 

Maybe Kate feels a little numb too.

It's with this thought that Seth realizes she's not asleep, her breathing soft as it is, isn't deep enough to be asleep. Has she been awake this whole time?

The silence now feels weighted down, knowledge of her wakefulness eaves him antsy with the need to speak.

Voice hoarse with disuse, he talks in her direction, "You awake?" he feels like a five year old, at a sleepover trying to not wake the adults in the other room by speaking too loud.

It's a long moment before she says anything, long enough for him to think she's going to ignore him. "Yeah."

"Heads too busy to sleep?"

"Something like that. You'd think that would just make it easier."

"Yeah, you'd think."

The conversation dies off, he should really just leave it, but he feels less alone when they're speaking.

"Why were you headed to mexico in the first place?"

"What?"

"Before we took you, why were you headed towards Mexico? It hardly seemed like good times at the fullers." He cringes for bring up the kidnapping, she free now but he's under no illusions, what he did was wrong and now she's as alone in this world as him.

That's on him.

"Dad thought it would be some kind of fresh start, mom died a couple of months ago and none of us were handling it well. Least of all him." 

Well shit, he'd forgotten about that conversation in the RV with Richie saying she thought her dad killed her. Great he just brought up her dead mom.

Seth scrambles to fix things.

"Richie and I haven't seen our mom since we were kids. She made a run for it, and left us with our dad."

He doesn't really want to talk about but the words just come rolling out, it's enough to have Kate rolling over to face him.

The red from the digital clock on the nightstand glows against the pale skin of her face, she almost looks other worldly. Not like the things back at the twister, just that she doesn't quite belong.

"That must have been hard, moms are hard to loose."

Seth hums noncommittally in the back of his throat, his feelings on the matter have always been complicated, usually he sticks with anger, he's too tired for that tonight. "Yeah it was hard." It was, their father had already been an angry bastard, mom leaving just made things worse. "I don't remember her too much anymore. But I do remember peanut butter cookies."

"Peanut butter cookies? Did she make them." her voice is barely a whisper.

"Yeah, and burned them every time. Richie would always eat them anyways, tell her he loved them. They were awful."

Kate giggles at that, it's enough to get him smiling, so he goes on. They trade small stories from their childhood, forgetting about everything else.

By the time the clock hits five they've both passed out facing each other. 

Finally asleep.


	11. Body's locked with bullets howling

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I heard a gunshot babe.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mainly just light smut to be honest.

Kissing her feels like heaven, but it taste a lot like sin.

Like blood, lead and chlorine.

She's always so soft and sweet for him, his little preachers girl. Ready to please and be pleased in return.

It never takes long before they end up in bed after a score, it never takes long in general, he doesn't know how to keep his hands off Kate. He wonders how he ever managed before.

She's a little less innocent than when they first met, thanks to him, a little sharper around the edges, but still so damn sweet.

Hands grasping and pulling, taring off each others cloths like it's the last thing they'll ever get to do. But Seth likes to take his time drinking her in, once all the layers are torn away leaving her bare for his eyes, she's something that never was meant for a man like him. Seth's a bad man and her love isn't going to change that, she was meant for better but he somehow stole her away from all that(Seth always did want more than what the world would give him). Made her his, something he still has a hard time believing.

When she starts to pout from a lack of attention, he can only smirk and oblige her. After all touching is always better than just looking. 

She's quick to reach down and start pumping him, the adrenaline in running through her blood making her eager for him. Seth is loath to stop her as he sucks on her breast, but if she keeps working him over this wont last much longer. Moving up to her neck, shaky sighs passing from her lips.

Gently removing her hand before she ends this, moving his hands to grasp her hips. Looking down into her eyes catching sight of a longing for him, that's no doubt reflected in his own. God he wants her, hungry for her. 

He's always hungry. All his old addictions were just leading to this, place holders till he could finally loose himself inside of her. 

Sharp little nails dig into his back when he enters her, wrenching out a soft cry of his name.

Then there's nothing but ragged breath and soft moans to fill the room. She writhes under him,driving him mad. Long hard kisses shared between them, he's desperate to touch her as much as he can, to savor every bit of this. 

Eventually Kate starts to whisper in his ear, faster, faster, faster. He complies easily with her urging, chasing after both of their releases. 

He spends himself first, reaching down a hand to give friction where she needs it, Kate falls soon after.

Sometime later, after Kate's fallen asleep in his arms, he wonders how this can be his life. 

As if she can hear his thoughts, she stirs under the covers, turning to lay teasing kisses along her shoulders waking her completely.

Soon after Seth isn't doing much thinking at all.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Listened to the song Gunshot by BLAJK while writing this.  
> It just reminds me so much of this ship, you guys should check it out.


	12. Wanna Breath the Air You Breath

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everything about the two of them has always been slightly messy

__Seth isn’t sure of anything lately.

Life’s been turned on it’s head, leaving him more lost than ever.

Once upon a time he was sure of lots of things though.

Things like Richie and him were going to make one final score and spend the rest of their days in paradise. In the end he only found another hell that was full of snakes, and lost his brother along the way.

So Seth has learned to lower his already low expectations from life.

Which is why when he drove off with the Preachers daughter he didn’t think too hard on it.

He had been drawn to her from that start, and didn’t want to be alone. Stealing her was an easy decision to make. 

Make no mistake, while she may have asked, saying yes to her was tantamount to a bank heist all on it’s own. Girls like her didn’t belong with Men like him.

Now that he knows. It’s a fact.

But the longer Seth spends on the run with her he finds, he _enjoys_ her.  

Likes the way she can’t seem to get up on her own in the morning, the way she always calls him out on his shit.

Seth just plain likes her.

It just gets worse the longer he spends with her.

He finds excuses to to touch her, brush up against her side, guiding her with a hand to her lower back.

It’s sick. 

He stole her life from her, her family. There’s no making amends for that. 

Still he wants her.

Sometimes though he forgets about what he’s done to her. What he’s taken.

When Kate gets this look in her eye, longing for something more than the life her daddy said she was meant for.

For all she was raised on the good book, she seems adapt at sinning.

(Helping him rob and steal his way across Mexico.)

She’ll turn to look at him when she thinks he’s not paying attention.

(He is always paying attention)

She looks at him like he might just be her saving grace.

He wants to be that to her despite it all. He wants _her_.

Of that Seth is becoming sure of. How it’ll end he is less so.

He’s dangerous.

But then so is she.

She’s a different kind of dangerous than him though.

She’s the most dangerous of all Seth thinks, because he falls under her thrall without her making any effort at all.

Not the one that all the tellers and clerks fall for; the sweet innocent Christian girl act.

No the one where she’s trying not to laugh at one of his jokes and a blush blooms across her cheeks.

Now with the both of them speeding down the road, Kate in the passenger seat, biting her lip, hair blown wild, looking out into the desert while he’s driving twenty over the limit. 

His hand moves without permission. Caressing her thigh, moving slowly up, stopping only at the hem of her denim shorts.

Her mouths fallen open, but she makes no move to stop him.

He should stop. He knows he should. 

But he won’t.

He’s already stolen her after all, might as well damn himself all the way.

Seth isn’t sure how this will end, but he damn well plans to find out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It’s been a while since I’ve updated sorry.   
> I take requests if u have any


	13. Where did all the air go?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kate doesn't take rafa's death well

She'd like to say she's okay, that after months running with Seth in mexico she could handle herself around death. But she's not.

Rafa is dead. dead. dead.

Kate is not okay.

It's why when Seth starts taunting, lashing out, insulting him, well she looses it.

She screams.

Screams like the gun is still pointed at her head.

Because Rafa was good, and now he's dead. She wears his blood as proof, even if it was the sun that did him in.

Vaguely she feels the car come to a jerking halt on the side of the road. 

Breath, in, out, in, out. Repeat.

She's FINE.

Seth is saying something to her, tone harsh, angry, and desperate but all she can do is stare out the window and remember to breath. 

Just breath.

Time doesn't exist anymore. She's in the car with Seth, then she's back at the twister. So on and so forth.

 _Just, breath_.

At some point, moments maybe hours later, Kate can feel Seth's hand warm and firm around her upper arm. It's mildly grounding, bringing her back to the car, far away from the twister.

 _Breath_.

Slowly she turns to look at him, glassy wild eyes meet her own sad blown out ones.

Everything is in slow motion. Stop animation. Watching Seth loose any and all fight in him. Piece by piece as he stares at her.

His hand moves to her cheek, and Kate is just so tired. She can't fight right now, so she gives into the comfort of him, not bothering to hide the relief his skin on hers brings.

And with lidded eyes she watches Seth move in close, only to lean his forehead against hers. Eyes close. Deep breath in, let out slow. Relief.

She wasn't the only one scared it turns out.

The car simply hums as they breath one another in.

"You're okay." he says, to her, to himself.

Kate just reaches out and grasps onto his shirt, it's all she can do right now as focuses on breathing, in and out.

In and Out. Just _breath_.

Slowly he pulls back, and she wants to scream all over again.

But once was already too much.

In the end he detangles her hand from his shirt, only to entwine it in his. Putting the car back into drive, taking off. Never once letting go of her.

They drive all the way out of town, completely bypassing the hotel they had been staying in.

Kate looses focus again, trying to hold onto Seth, his warmth, but she. Still. Feels. Rafa's. Blood.

Just _breath_. 

Kate is Fine, she is just fine.

She will say this in her head again and again. Eventually that will make it true.

She's fine.

She's just _fine._

Eventually the reach another motel, as nondescript as all the others, in a town she doesn't know the name of.

Seth lets go of her hand. Saying something about a room. Running a hand through her hand before he's gone.

He's gone.

Just breath.

JUST BREATH.

Then just as Kate thinks she's breathed up all the oxygen in the car, her door opens. Seth leans in, unbuckles her from the seat, and ever so gently pulls her from the car.

She can breath again.

They make it to a room he has a key to, and slowly with care and shaking hands (withdraw must be setting in, how long was the last time she saw him use?) Seth cleans her face with a towel that scratches against her face, it's relieving in a way.

Somehow they end up in bed. Did she take her shoes off, or did he?

Seth has her warped up in his arms. Back to chest.

Pounding heart to heart. Shaking the both of them.

"I'm sorry."

His voice breaks the silence, it might be the only thing able to at this point.

He's sorry. For what? There's so much to be sorry over. So mush for both of them to be sorry for.

It's not going to change anything. 

And right now the only thing keeping her here is him.

"Don't apologize, just tell me something happy." it's barely a whisper, but by the way he tenses only to slowly relax he must have heard her.

Then he's speaking.

"We're going to the beach, somewhere in the states. We are leaving this dust bowl behind us."

He pauses, maybe waiting for input but when none is forth coming he goes on.

"Pool everyday if you like, I'll come and lay out with you."

It's a nice thought, warms her some, but she's tired an feeling honest. 

The picture he is painting is fudged around the edges. Not quite complete.

"After you sober up?"

He tenses again. Arms tightening around her waist. 

The sigh he lets out is hot, displacing the hairs on her neck, "Yeah, we wont even leave here till I do. Fresh start, for me and you. Us."

Now she's tensing, she thought she was slowly coming back to herself. Realizing what happened before was shock. Poor, charming Rafa.

Now though listening to Seth, she knows she's dreaming. It's too good. All the same, Kate can't help but crave it, hope beyond hope that it's true.

"Yeah?" she asks weakly.

"Yeah, baby. Can't keep you alive if I'm half out of my mind." He mumbles the last bit, but that's why she starts to believe him.

"Seth, tell me more."

And he does, goes on and on. Telling her places he's going to take her once he's sweat out the drugs. No more venom for him.

Eventually, as the hours drag on, the soothing sound of Seth's voice lulls her to a dreamless sleep, with hope for a better tomorrow. 

* * *

Tell me what you think, I love your reviews

 


	14. Wanna Play a Game?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> One day Seth is going to give in, Kate just has to wait him out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Canon AU

It’s an old game, and she’s catching on to it quickly.

One that’s been played through all of time, santanico knew it well, the men all but begging for just a look in their direction.

Never mind that she didn’t want them, they wanted her. 

Kate doesn’t have her skill, or experience, all the same she’s caught on fast. Always a quick learner.

It shows in the way Seth’s eyes linger on her bare legs, it’s just so hot in Mexico you see, it’s not Kate’s fault it’s easier just to wear shorts and skirts.

Leaving the shower in just a towel, cloths forgotten on the bed next to his. The way he licks his lips as she passes by, has nothing to do with the old western on tv.

No it’s not anything devious or even especially clever. Still the clench of his jaw says it’s working just fine.

He’s trying to hold onto a moral code he never really had, _don’t touch the teenager_ , the guilt makes him misremember.

Afraid he’ll mess up her life more Seth tries to keep a distance.

Too little too late, Katie cakes died with the rest of her family.

Kate walked out the bar covered in others blood, and while she might not know exactly who she is anymore, well at least she knows she wants Seth.

He wants her too, something that only after their first month together that she became sure of.

The possessive touches, and darkening eyes giving away his attraction. 

Holding her through a nightmare proving it to be something more.

After the second month without any visible sign of change, clarity came.

Seth wouldn’t make the first move unless pushed.

Thats something Kate is particular gifted at.

So the game began.

A little skin here and there.

Tempting whenever the opportunity arose, he taught her that.

It all seems a little hopeless, humiliating even at times. Almost as if it was all made up in her head.

Quitting is for children though, and Kate’s all in.

She’ll wear him down but by bit, after she thinks while Seth’s hand reaches over to rest against her thigh without ever looking away from the road, Seth was never a good man. He’s just good to her, and the way his fingers are slowly creeping up under her skirt, promise that soon he’s going to be good to her in other ways.

Yeah, this is a game Kate’s going to win, she’s playing for keeps. 


	15. Of Tequila and Heatwaves

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cheap Motels are not known for their comfort.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Season Two kinda, sorta.  
> Fluff

The air conditioner unit broke. 

On one of the Hottest days of the summer, in the middle of mexico, in room six of a cheap motel the air conditioner sputtered out it's last breath, and died. The two occupants of this room proceeded to curse and give into despair. 

 

Kate was no stranger to heat, having grown up in Texas her whole life. But even the heat there had nothing on this. In doubt, in part because she used to be able to stay in her house, were both she an scoot would turn the air down to almost chilling levels despite her daddy's protests.

Now though there was none of that, and what little relief the old unit gave was now gone.

And they couldn't leave the room.

Their last little cash and grab left more than one angry man with gun looking for them. Seth was addenment they stay in for at least the rest of the day, and that after that it was time to move on. Something that at the time Kate was happy to agree with, now she wondered if they couldn't just sneak away before dark. The cars air conditioner was working just fine last she checked.

She was about to put voice to this very fact when Seth beat her to the punch, "No, we're not leaving before sundown. It's too much of risk that we'll be seen and followed. We'll just have to deal with a little heat, princess."

"I wasn't even going to suggest that." Just because she was didn't mean she had to admit to it, besides it was annoying how sometimes he could almost read her mind. They'd been spending too much time together.

Seth scoffed, "Sure you weren't."

Moving from her sprawl on the bed Kate sat up, all the while uncomfortably aware of how the old wife beater she'd stolen from Seth was clinging to her skin from sweat, and glared at his form sitting by the table.

"I was not." Even to her own ears her voice sounded like a whine.

Leaning on the shoddy table Seth raised an eyebrow in challenge, "Oh, do tell, what were you going to say."

Kate moves to sit in the other chair by the table if only to buy herself to think, unaware of the way Seth's eyes lingered on where the tank clung to her.

Once seated she announces, "I was going to say I think we should play a game. To pass the time." 

In all fairness it wasn't a bad idea, everything on the tv was in Spanish, which Seth didn't speak. He refused to turn the subtitles on siting that it was too much work to read when watching shows was meant to be relaxing. 

Still Seth looks mildly curious if doubtfully at her idea. He leans back a little and draws, "What game would you suggest we play, we left the cards at the last place."

Her nose scrunches up in displeasure, she had forgotten about that. With the heat already making her irritable she lets out a put upon sigh, in a way that only teenagers can pull off.

"Well I don't know. What do you suggest then?", she asks. 

A sly smile creeps up Seth's face while he thinks and she pouts. In a movement that's quicker than anyone should move in such hellish heat, Seth is up and out of his chair, across the room digging in one of his bags. Craning her head Kate looks behind him to see what he's doing. Letting out a sound of triumph, he turns around while brandishing a glass bottle with clear liquid in it.

Walking over he firmly places it in the cent of the table with a loud clink against the fake wood. There she gets a good look at the label, and yep it's just what she thought it was.

"Tequila?"

Seth nods his head, while already grabbing two questionably clean glass, placing them on the table, one in front of each of them then reclaiming his seat.

Drinking would no doubt be a terrible idea.

So naturally they do it, but Kate complains a little to keep face, which Seth in good humor calls her a sheltered church mouse.

"So, whats the game, or are we just drinking?"

Seth pours about a shot in each of the glass while flashing her quick grin, "We can make one up, as we go along." 

Ah, so just drinking it is.

Before the twister Kate had never had more than a sip of wine, and while now she's no avid drinker, she's learned the value of a good buzz every now and then. If only to ease some of the nightmares.

She raises her glass, and he clinks his against hers before they both throw it back. Kate coughs a little, the first one always gets her.

Seth pours them both another, while Kate grabs a nearby half finished soda to mix hers with. She might like to drink some but no need to get wasted, Seth waves her off when she offers him some.

So for a while the sit together, in the smothering heat and just drink, talking about nothing and everything.

"I still say we only got lost because of you're navigation skills."

"The map was in Spanish, I did my best. Besides I didn't see you helping." She pouts taking a sip of her fourth drink, she's made a point not to count which one Seth is on.

He just laughs, slightly louder than usual, "I was the driver, its shot guns job to give directions."

She rolls her eyes. "Then why can't I pick the music."

"You've got shit taste sunshine, that's why." Seth just laughs as she pouts, trying not to smile for no reason herself. It's nice to laugh, they haven't done it too often lately.

She finishes her drink, and Seth immediately pours her more.

It goes on like this for a while, teasing and picking on each others tastes.

"Don't lie Seth you like Taylor Swift too. I heard you humming one of the songs."

"I was not, and even if I did it's only because somehow you keep finding a station that plays it." She breaks down in giggles at the sight of his face, "Sure, sure."

Then they're both laughing.

When she starts to slur her words, Seth calls it quits for both of them. Stating they should probably take a nap, it's still a few hours till dark.

At this she simply holds her arms up in gesture to be picked up like a child would. When she's sober, she'll have plenty of time to feel embarrassed about this. Now though, she only grins wide with success as Seth rolls his eyes but moves to comply. 

She'll blame the alcohol and heat how her whole face flushes when he picks her up. They've probably had too much to drink. She's not sure that she cares.

He huffs out fondly, "You're a pain in my ass, you know that." 

Kate smiles into his bare shoulder, mumbling out, "Yeah, but I'm _your_ pain in the ass _."_

One of his hands that's supporting her butt, squeezes a cheek at that, causing her to squeal. The action invites many thoughts about what he might like to do on the bed that they're sharing again, that he's taking her to.

Having mixed feelings about all of them.

But all he does is carry her over to the bed, plopping them both down on it. They lay there on their sides, with Kate's legs and arms wrapped around him. Seth's own are around her back, one under her tank, hot against her skin slowly drawing soothing circles. 

The room is far too hot, but neither moves to untangle themselves. 

For a moment Kate could have sworn his eyes had some how gotten impossibly darker while looking at her lips, as if he was going to kiss her. Instead he just nuzzled into neck, while gripping her closer sighing something that sounds like her name. In moments though, his breathing evens out, having fallen fast asleep.

Pushing aside any complicated feelings of her own, Kate takes comfort in the feel of him so close, shutting her eyes, following him quickly into sleep.

Her last conscious thought being she wouldn't mind so much the AC broke down more often, and that next time maybe she'd even try kissing him. Just maybe, he'll kiss her.

Maybe, they'll do a lot more.


	16. The Only Time we're Completely Honest

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Conversations we had in the dark

Sometimes the drugs give Seth dreams.

All manner of dreams, some awful nightmares, memories better left forgotten. Some are just plain weird, those are mostly forgotten by morning. But mostly they're pleasant dreams. The kind that make a man never want to wake up.

He's ashamed of just how often Kate appears in those. 

Tonight he's not sure which way it'll go, he finds himself lying on his bed though, which normally makes for a good start.

But something is off this time, his body feels too heavy, sluggish and weighed down. With Kate all the way on the other side of the room on her own bed instead of next to him. God, he hopes this wont turn into another nightmare.

Letting out a frustrated puff of breath Seth decides to just watch Kate for a while, she hasn't taken notice of him yet, and it's not something he allows himself to do when awake.

Looking at her, she seems fuzzy around the edges. Making her look softer than she already is.

As she reaches to click off the lamp her for a moment her face comes into focus, the yellow light highlights the dark circles under her eyes. He can't remember when those got there, just that they weren't there when they met.

Then with a click the room goes dark, and silent. 

Silence isn't something Seth does well with, even in his dreams.

"No nighttime adventures for you tonight huh, sunshine?" 

Kate's startled gasp fills the room. 

"Seth! I thought you were asleep." her voice comes out in a harsh whisper.

"I am."

Seth hears more than see's Kate shift around in bed. With a sigh she orders, "Go to sleep Seth."

"Hmmm, I told you already. I am."

"Right."

Her tone is resigned, "Well then, do you want me to turn the t.v. on?"

Ignoring the question completely he states, what's on his mind. "You seem tired."

And she does, she hasn't been arguing with him as much lately. Sleeping in the car instead of bickering back and forth like they used to.

He hadn't commented on it before. Hadn't been sure he wanted to know why. 

"I am tired. It's late, lets go to sleep okay? I'll be less tired in the morning." 

"No, that's not it. You sleep all the time." she gives a scoffing laugh. 

"Then why do you think exactly I'm so tired?"

That's a loaded question. One he knows the answer to, after all it's his fault.

Normally he wouldn't answer, normally he would have steered clear of this particular topic to begin with. Looking at her now though, the light coming in through the threadbare curtains is just enough that he can make out the shape of her body, the words build up in his throat.

He knows exactly why she's so tired. Her whole families dead, and now she lives out of shitty motel rooms with a man who helped get them killed.

"I didn't mean to ruin your life." He didn't. He really didn't, he had just been desperate and they were convenient.

He had just been trying to save Richie and himself. Still even if it wasn't his intention, it's what he's done.

The room is thunderously quiet. He's started to wonder if she's awake when the silence is broken by soft words, "I know."

Seth's not entirely sure she actually said them, that he didn't just imagine it. Then again this is all just a dream anyway.

"I'm just so angry. All the time. And tired." Her admission isn't all that surprising, he's seen it for himself.

He'd thought it was mostly teenage hormones. 

"You seem okay most of the time, snappy sure but okay. It drives me crazy, I'm falling apart at the seams, but you seem fine. Better even"

She rolls over to the edge of the mattress closest to him and says, "I don't know if I'm getting better or just used to the feeling."

He doesn't know what to say to that, there's not much to say. He's been there and found words to be of little comfort. Instead he forces his arm to move, stretching across the expanse of empty space between their beds. Hand held out in invitation.

Half expecting her to ignore the gesture it's a pleasant shock when she doesn't hesitate to reach out and grab his hand. It takes effort but Seth manages to squeeze her hand, entangling a few of their fingers awkwardly together.

It's nice. He can't remember the last time he just held someones hand. So he holds on just a little tighter.

At some point the dream fades to a pleasant black haze. 

Seth wakes up to one arm hanging off the side of the bed and with cotton mouth. Sitting up he looks over to Kate, still asleep with one arm dangling off the edge of her bed. 

It reminds him of a dream.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's been a while huh. Just trying to get back into the mood for writing again.

**Author's Note:**

> This is just a Drabble series of moments that could have/ should have happened. Look I’ve got a lot of feels for this fandom and had to put it somewhere.


End file.
